17 years ago, hip-hop act Atmosphere transformed Minneapolis into something else entirely: a nexus from which underground rap spiralled-out to the masses. And thanks to the duo’s indefatigable touring habits, Top 20-charting albums, and their galvanizing artist-owned label Rhymesayers (MF Doom, Aesop Rock), they’re still pushing the boundaries of what indie rap can mean.

It’s with that overachieving-underdog spirit that MC Sean “Slug” Daley and producer Anthony “Ant” Davis have named Atmosphere’s eighth studio album Southsiders, a shout-out to their native neighbourhood. The album captures everything from a blazing, anthemic takedown in ‘Southsiders’ to the ebb-and-flow of loss in the sauntering ‘Arthur’s Song’ to emotional abandon in the rousing ‘Kanye West’.

TheFamilySign is Atmosphere’s most personal and intimate album yet; it involves and engages the listener like never before. Slug’s signature voice weaves in and out of Ant’s ASR-born production, Nate Collis’ bluesy guitar riffs and the sound of Erick Anderson’s unmistakable keys giving TheFamilySign a fresh, unique edge without sacrificing Atmosphere’s signature sound.